Reading books on which movies are based is an interesting study. As I mentioned a couple weeks ago, I'm rereading The Lord of the Rings by J.R.R. Tolkien. I finished "The Two Towers" yesterday, so I've left Frodo a prisoner of the orcs, Sam unconscious outside Minas Morgul, Aragorn, Merry, Legolas and Gimli preparing to ride with Théoden and Gandalf and Pippin riding to Gondor.
I'd forgotten how many changes Peter Jackson made in "The Two Towers" and, likely, in "The Return of the King." For example, Faramir doesn't take Frodo, Sam and Gollum to Osgiliath in the book. Tolkien didn't get into as much of Sméagol's struggle with Gollum as Jackson did, but when you have an actor like Andy Serkis playing the role, you should take advantage of his skills. And Jackson expanded the parts for Arwen, Éowyn and Galadriel, the women in Tolkien's story.
I think I know why Jackson made some of the choices he did. He chose to expand the women's roles because that's expected in today's society. Without bigger women's roles, the movies wouldn't have done as well. He did the same thing with "The Hobbit," inventing a new character so there would be a woman in the story. He ended his movie "The Two Towers" well before Tolkien's book ends. If he'd ended the movie where the book does, people would have left the theater depressed and not wanting to come back the next year for "The Return of the King." But those of us who know the story knew what was coming anyway.
For me, the sound and feel of the words is the best way to immerse myself in an author's world. Tolkien's word choices pull me in, wash over me and transport me to Middle-earth. When I'm reading, I'm saying the words in my head so I hear the sound and rhythm of the dialogue. Sometimes I just have to stop and savor the way Tolkien says something. For example, "There is no curse in Elvish, Entish, or the tongues of Men bad enough for such treachery." Jackson, making a wise choice I think, decided to use some of Tolkien's dialogue in his movies. After all, you can't improve on awesome.
I rewatched a version of "Persuasion" the other night, my favorite one that stars Amanda Root and Ciaran Hinds. I don't know what it is about that particular adaptation that appeals so much to me. I think I like that one because the actors play the characters as I envisioned them. That's one of the things I like about Jackson's Lord of the Rings, too. His vision was very similar to mine which, of course, is the only criteria one must use when determining who will play which role.
It's fun to compare and contrast and question the director's decisions. I try to keep an open mind when I go into a movie based on a book I know and love. I know the director won't always agree with how I see things, but seeing another person's vision of a story can make you see things in a new way. And that might deepen your understanding, which is not a bad thing.
